Device for detecting suspended matter in gases.



W. W. STRONG.

DEVICE FOR DETBGTING SUSPENDED MATTER IN GASES.

APPLICATION FILED FEB, 17, 1912. RENEWED JAN.3, 1913.

UNITED WILLIAM WALKER STRONG, OF FITTSBUBGH, PENN'SYLVANIA.

DEVICE FOR DETECTING SUSPENZDED MATTER IN GASES.

Application flled 'February 17,

specification of Letters Patent.

Patonted Aug. 19,1913.

l1912, Serial No. 678,282L Renewed January 1913. 'Serial No. 740,040.

To aZ who'm, i?? may conccr'n Be it known that '1, WILIAM WALKER S'ruoNo, a citizen of the United States, and a residcnt'o'f Pittsburgh, in the county of Allegheny and State of Penns'ylvania, have in- Ycnteda new and useful Improvement in Devices for Detecting 'Suspended Matter int Gases, of which the following'is a specification.

My invention relates to devices for detecting the presence of suspended matter and impurities in gases, more particularly for asccrtaining the condition ofsmoke and fumes in smoke stacks, and it consists'in the combinations, constructions and arrangements hel'ein described and claimed.

An object of my invention is to provide a device i-n which a local circuit may be energized for the '-purpose of sounding an alarm, automatically regulating the dra'ft, or for any other purpose, wheuever 'the 'gas has a' certain amount of suspended matter present.

A further-object-of 'my invention 'is to provide an arrangemen't I`whereby 'the suspended matter itsel'f forms one fof the means by which the energization of the local circuit is accomplished.

Other objects in the following specification, and the novel features of the invention will be particula-rly pointed-out in 'the appcnded claims.

My invention is illustra'tedin the accompanyi'ng drawing, forming part of 'this application, in which- Figure 1 is a diagrammatic view showing one embodiment of my invention; Fig. 2 is a modified form of the device-'3 Fig. '3 is 1m enlarged view of the galvanometer-rheostat;.

and' Fig. 4 is a detailed View show-'mg -the rheostat contacts.

In carrying out my invention T provide a source of alternating. current such as the generator G in Fig. 1'. In circuit with this generator is theprimary P of a transformer. The secondary, S, of the transformer is connected by means of the wires 1 and 2 with the'terminals 3 and 4 respectively, which are located inside of an exit flue or chimney 5, through which the smoke or gases are designed to pass.

' Disposed between the electrodes 3 and 4 are the electrodes 6 and 7. The former is connected bymeans of the wire 8 with a source of current G1, and the electrode 7'is connected by means of the wire 9 with an instrument 10 such as a bella relay, or other and advantages will appear A electrical device, the latter being connected, m 1ts turn, to one side of the generator G1 'by means of a wire 11.

From the foregolng description of the various partsof the device'the operation thereof may be `readily understood. The alternating current'through the primary P of the transformer is stepped up by the secondary S until the voltage is relatively high, say from 30,000 to 40,000 volts. Now the electrodes 3 and 4 are far enough apart so that, under ordinary conditions, vthere will be no sparking between these electrodes. The 'terminals 62and=7 which are in line with the'electrodes 3 and 4, are separated, and since the ,'e`nerato`r\(ir1 is a comparatively low Voltage generator, say-110 volts, the instrument `10 will not ``be effective, since there will be no flow of current, owing to the break at electrodes 6-7. Now when the 'space surrounding these electrodes 3, 4, '6 a'nd 7, contains 'a sufficient quantity of 'suspended matter, as 'for instance, air containing smoke or other products of combustion, 'then it` is found that sparks 'will pass between the electrodes 3 and 4. The resistance between 'the terminals '6 a'nd 'Z -is 'broken down during the time of 'the passage of 'the Sparks between the electrodes 3 and 4, or in other words, yconductivit'y between the'terminals 6 and 7 is 'increased to such an extent that a current ,will flow through 'the local ci'rcuit 'containing the generator 'G1 and 'the instrument 10 so as to operate fthe latter. As stated before, 'this instrument `rnay befa'n audible signal, or a 'visual signal, or a 'relay for V'effectling 4current connections 'to 'operate controlling app'arat-us (not shown).

l-n Fig. 2 T 'have shown -a -modification in ns which the electrodes 3 and 4 are the only ones which are located in the flue or chimney 5. In this modification a galvanometer-rheostat, or other suitable instrument, is disposed in a secondary circuit of which the electrodes 3 and 4 form a part. The presence of suspended matter in the vicinity of the electrodes 3 and 4, as in the instance given above, will eausea Variation of the flow of current in the secondary cireuit. This Variation of current will cause the needle N of the galvanoirneter-rheostatV R to swing, Athe deflection of the needle being dependent upon the amount of current. The deflection of the needle may in turn, cause an increase or decrease of the flow of current in the'local circuit of which the battery B and given is not important as far as this 'based upon the same the instrument` D are parts. This control of the local circuit may be efi'ected in many different ways. I have illustrated the same diagrammatically by showing the needle N of the galvanometer-rheostat bent downwardly so as to contact with the mercury M in the mercury cups O which form the terminals of the rheostat wires W and w.

Itwill be apparent that since the flow of current in the secondary circuit depends on the condition of the gases, i. e., the amount of suspended matter, and since the movement of the galvanometer controls the amount of current flowing in the local circuit from battery Bby wire 12 through the galvanometer-rheostat R, thence by wire 13 through the instrument D, and back tothe local battery B by wire 14, the instrument D may bei made to ac'curately register or record the condition of the gas at any given time or it may be an automatic device for regulating the draft. The precise functionv of the instruments D and 10 in the examples invention is concerned, and these examples are merely given for the purpose of indicating some of the uses to which the local circuits which are energized in the manner described, may be put. The main object of the invent-ion, as stated above, is to energize the local circuits by means of the suspended matter in the gases.

I am aware that various modifications general principles consider as my own as fairly fall Within the invention.

might be made, but I all such modifications the spirit and scope of I claim: 1. In a device for detecting the presence of suspen'ded matter in gases, a flue or chimney for the passage of the gases, a pair of electrodes disposed within said flue, a source of high potential connected with said electrodes and forming a main circuit, the movement of the suspended matter past the electrodes serving 'to cause sparking between circuit including a source of current connected with said electrodes, the presence of suspended matter in the gases in the vicinity of the electrodes causing a change of current in the main circuit, a local circuit, and means actuated by the change of current in the main circuit for energizing the local circuit.

3. In a device for detecting the presence of suspended matter in gases, a flue or chim- 'ney for the passage of the gases, a pair of electrodes disposed within said flue, a pair of terminals disposed between said electrodes, a main circuit including a source of potential connected with said electrodes, a local circuit including a source of current, and a detecting instrument connected 'with said terminals, the presence of suspended matterjn the gases in the vicinity of said electrodes serving to cause sparking between them whereby the resistance between the terminals is decreased to permit the passage of current inl the local circuit.

4. In a device for detecting the presence of suspended matter in gases, a flue or chimney for the passage of the gases, a pair of electrodes disposed within said flue, a main circuit including a source of current connected with said electrodes, the presence of suspended matter in the gases in the vicinity of the electrodes causing a change of current in the main circuit, and a local circuit arranged to be energized by a'change of current in the main circuit.

' C. T. MRSH,

WALTER Bauman. 

